Today, we will all experience situations that will cause us to react badly or respond spiritually, The choice is ours. Paul gives us guidance for those frustrating moments in his letter to a young church.
Galatians 5:26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
Do you ever get the feeling that the first group of Christians must have been a bunch of really hard-to-please people? In my head, I’ve got this nostalgic notion that the New Testament Christians were holy saints, who peacefully, nobly, and humbly went to their deaths in the Coliseum. I’ve thought about them as being incredible saints and holy people, whose perfection is the ideal that we lowly 21st century Christians must attain.
However, when I read some of Paul’s letters, I get the impression that their churches were full of ordinary people, whose personalities and characteristics often caused conflicts or dysfunction in the family of faith. Why on earth would Paul have to implore the church at Galatia not to be conceited, aggressive, and envious, if it wasn’t already there in the life and work of that church?
Initially, it makes me feel better because I realize that Christianity is always going to be imperfect and that conflict is inevitable in any faith community. Envy, pride, and belligerence are human traits that we try to master and control, but we cannot do it on our own. That’s why Paul urges the Galatians to live by the Spirit, and not by human weaknesses. I may feel better because I am no better than the first Christians, and vice versa, but both they and I have a need to try to be better Christians. And the only way that is going to happen is by surrendering our pride, envy and antagonism to the Spirit, in order for those weaknesses to be replaced with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
As far as applying this is concerned, there are going to be moments today where we will either react humanly to a situation or respond spiritually. The choice is ours. Hopefully, we will all decide to surrender ourselves to the Spirit’s bidding.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, You bring us great comfort and strength, wonderful guidance and godly counsel. Restrain our pride and capacity for wanting to get mad and even with those who displease or dislike us. Grant us patience and self-control in those frustrating circumstances that we may face today. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.
Short daily devotions for busy Christians and Church meetings
Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Alleviating AIDS
For the Church to be effectively involved in AIDS ministries in our communities, Christians have to begin the journey of healing by showing contrition for past and present condemnations of those in the margins of society.
Ephesians 2:4,5 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved.
Tonight, I will be preaching at a special service to commemorate World AIDS Day in our town. People from different churches across the city will gather together to share their sympathy for those victims and families of this terrible disease. There will be no judgment or criticism of lifestyle choices; instead Christians will come together to show remorse for past intolerances and seek forgiveness of those we once castigated.
Families and friends of deceased AIDS sufferers will be in attendance. Some AIDS patients will also be there, possibly giving testimonies about what they have endured. It will be a sacred time to remember that we are all human and frail, in need of support and love, looking for God’s favor and compassion. In God’s eyes, we are all the same, and by His grace, we can all be saved.
I hope and pray that after the service hearts and minds will be changed, prejudices will be diminished and self-righteousness will be vanquished. A lot of the sorrow and pain that has been experienced by the AIDS sufferers’ community has been borne out of the criticism, indignation, and condemnation of the Christian Church. No one set out to get AIDS and the God that I serve didn’t punish people with it. If anything, it was an opportunity to show compassion and embrace those on the margins of society. We failed miserably as a faith, so we have a lot of contrition, repentance, and healing to experience before we will be trusted by the diverse sector of our community.
So let’s use this time to examine our own prejudices, inhumanity, and intolerances that we all have. Let’s place them before the Lord and ask His forgiveness. Only then can we begin the hard work of healing the world.
Prayer: O Lord, we have transgressed in Your sight and created divisions in the world. Instead of showing compassion to those on the margins, we showed contempt. Instead of asking what would You do to help, we condemned others to hell. Forgive us for failing to be Christian. Help us now to heal and be healed. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.
Ephesians 2:4,5 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved.
Tonight, I will be preaching at a special service to commemorate World AIDS Day in our town. People from different churches across the city will gather together to share their sympathy for those victims and families of this terrible disease. There will be no judgment or criticism of lifestyle choices; instead Christians will come together to show remorse for past intolerances and seek forgiveness of those we once castigated.
Families and friends of deceased AIDS sufferers will be in attendance. Some AIDS patients will also be there, possibly giving testimonies about what they have endured. It will be a sacred time to remember that we are all human and frail, in need of support and love, looking for God’s favor and compassion. In God’s eyes, we are all the same, and by His grace, we can all be saved.
I hope and pray that after the service hearts and minds will be changed, prejudices will be diminished and self-righteousness will be vanquished. A lot of the sorrow and pain that has been experienced by the AIDS sufferers’ community has been borne out of the criticism, indignation, and condemnation of the Christian Church. No one set out to get AIDS and the God that I serve didn’t punish people with it. If anything, it was an opportunity to show compassion and embrace those on the margins of society. We failed miserably as a faith, so we have a lot of contrition, repentance, and healing to experience before we will be trusted by the diverse sector of our community.
So let’s use this time to examine our own prejudices, inhumanity, and intolerances that we all have. Let’s place them before the Lord and ask His forgiveness. Only then can we begin the hard work of healing the world.
Prayer: O Lord, we have transgressed in Your sight and created divisions in the world. Instead of showing compassion to those on the margins, we showed contempt. Instead of asking what would You do to help, we condemned others to hell. Forgive us for failing to be Christian. Help us now to heal and be healed. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Bible Screensaver: Psalm 004
The joy of the Lord is like a great wine...
...it gets better as each year passes.
...it gets better as each year passes.
God's Great Sense of Humor
Sometimes God answers our prayers in completely unexpected and humorous ways.
Podcast version here
Ezekiel 30:30 Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Sovereign LORD.
My eldest daughter was traveling from Roanoke to Cincinnati this morning for a business conference. Even although she is twenty one, I always pray for her safety whilst flying. I woke up early this morning and prayed exclusively for her, asking God to take care of her and get her to the conference safely.
It’s funny how God answers prayers. When she got to the check in line this morning, they couldn’t match her ticket. The conference was really important and she burst into tears. She didn’t know what to do and, being a single female traveling alone, she had no one to help, or at least that’s what she thought.
Behind her in the line were sixteen professional wrestlers, who were also traveling to Cincinnati. These burly guys took control of the situation and managed to get everything sorted out for my daughter. They looked after her all the way through to the last airport, so she arrived safely and in time. I couldn’t have asked for a bigger or better company of angels to escort her across the country. God works in mysterious ways and has a great sense of humor!
Prayer: Sovereign Lord, thank You for the many ways that You answer our prayers every day. We sometimes take Your blessings for granted and forget to thank You. Grant us grateful hearts and help us to cheerfully express our devoted thanks to You. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.
Podcast version here
Ezekiel 30:30 Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Sovereign LORD.
My eldest daughter was traveling from Roanoke to Cincinnati this morning for a business conference. Even although she is twenty one, I always pray for her safety whilst flying. I woke up early this morning and prayed exclusively for her, asking God to take care of her and get her to the conference safely.
It’s funny how God answers prayers. When she got to the check in line this morning, they couldn’t match her ticket. The conference was really important and she burst into tears. She didn’t know what to do and, being a single female traveling alone, she had no one to help, or at least that’s what she thought.
Behind her in the line were sixteen professional wrestlers, who were also traveling to Cincinnati. These burly guys took control of the situation and managed to get everything sorted out for my daughter. They looked after her all the way through to the last airport, so she arrived safely and in time. I couldn’t have asked for a bigger or better company of angels to escort her across the country. God works in mysterious ways and has a great sense of humor!
Prayer: Sovereign Lord, thank You for the many ways that You answer our prayers every day. We sometimes take Your blessings for granted and forget to thank You. Grant us grateful hearts and help us to cheerfully express our devoted thanks to You. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Church Growth Ideas: What God Wants, He Gets
Using Hebrews 13:20-21 as a key text for developing a church mission statement. Helping the congregation to depend upon God to equip them with everything good for accomplishing His will.
Podcast version here
Hebrews 13:20,21 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Our wee church is trying to work out a mission statement for the coming years. Our elders, who are the spiritual leaders in our congregation, are wrestling with decisions that will affect the long term mission and effectiveness of Erin church in the community. It’s not an easy task and a lot of prayer, preparation and pondering will have to be experienced before we can present an overall plan to the congregation.
Like most churches of our age, we are committing a lot of our resources to the upkeep and renovating of the building. The present sanctuary will be 55 years old in 2010 and whilst that is not old in European terms, the extremities of the American weather mean that the church ages a lot faster. I’d like us to be able to completely modernize the whole building in one stage, but I know that just isn’t possible. Unless we have a hidden multi-millionaire in the congregation, it’s going to take us several years to complete the job.
In the meantime, we’ve ministries and missions to undertake, support, and accomplish. That’s where we rely upon God as a congregation, just as the Hebrew Christians did in Paul’s time. As long as we are willing to continue doing the work that is pleasing to God, then He will equip us with everything good for accomplishing His will.
I guess that’s how we’ll eventually come up with a strong mission statement that will reflect what God wants. Currently, we‘re talking about being a church that equips its members to make an impact for Christ in the community. If this is God’s will and we are faithful to this mission, then He will ensure that we have everything we will need to complete that task. And that’s what makes this phase of the church’s life exciting to me – we’re becoming a church that utterly depends upon God’s favor, and not upon our own strength, power, or esteem.
Perhaps you’re in a church that is facing financial difficulties or wrestling with its identity. Maybe you’re hesitant about what lies ahead and don’t know where to begin turning things around. I’d start with the promises of God that are found in these two verses from Hebrews and lay the foundation of future ministries and missions at your church upon these words: “May the God of peace…equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we want to be effective witnesses and productive churches for You, so that Your Kingdom may expand in our community. We worry about stuff like money and staff, bills and salaries. Help us to rely upon Your Father to grant us every good thing to accomplish His work. Engage our people in yielding to the Spirit and seeking God’s will. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor at Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Podcast version here
Hebrews 13:20,21 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Our wee church is trying to work out a mission statement for the coming years. Our elders, who are the spiritual leaders in our congregation, are wrestling with decisions that will affect the long term mission and effectiveness of Erin church in the community. It’s not an easy task and a lot of prayer, preparation and pondering will have to be experienced before we can present an overall plan to the congregation.
Like most churches of our age, we are committing a lot of our resources to the upkeep and renovating of the building. The present sanctuary will be 55 years old in 2010 and whilst that is not old in European terms, the extremities of the American weather mean that the church ages a lot faster. I’d like us to be able to completely modernize the whole building in one stage, but I know that just isn’t possible. Unless we have a hidden multi-millionaire in the congregation, it’s going to take us several years to complete the job.
In the meantime, we’ve ministries and missions to undertake, support, and accomplish. That’s where we rely upon God as a congregation, just as the Hebrew Christians did in Paul’s time. As long as we are willing to continue doing the work that is pleasing to God, then He will equip us with everything good for accomplishing His will.
I guess that’s how we’ll eventually come up with a strong mission statement that will reflect what God wants. Currently, we‘re talking about being a church that equips its members to make an impact for Christ in the community. If this is God’s will and we are faithful to this mission, then He will ensure that we have everything we will need to complete that task. And that’s what makes this phase of the church’s life exciting to me – we’re becoming a church that utterly depends upon God’s favor, and not upon our own strength, power, or esteem.
Perhaps you’re in a church that is facing financial difficulties or wrestling with its identity. Maybe you’re hesitant about what lies ahead and don’t know where to begin turning things around. I’d start with the promises of God that are found in these two verses from Hebrews and lay the foundation of future ministries and missions at your church upon these words: “May the God of peace…equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we want to be effective witnesses and productive churches for You, so that Your Kingdom may expand in our community. We worry about stuff like money and staff, bills and salaries. Help us to rely upon Your Father to grant us every good thing to accomplish His work. Engage our people in yielding to the Spirit and seeking God’s will. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor at Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Ineffective & Unproductive - Why we need to close small churches
Podcast version here
2 Peter 1:8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There are two things that most pastors fear for the churches that they serve: that the congregations become ineffective and unproductive. Over the last thirteen years, I’ve watched small unproductive and ineffective churches drain the pooled resources of our Presbytery and denomination year after year without any change to their status. And when Presbytery threatens to pull its resources from them, they become church tyrants monstrously opposed to any interference to their non-existent mission to their local communities.
Most of the time, these small churches are manipulated by one or two strong families who believe it is their divine right to keep the congregation the way it is. They firmly possess all the power, property, and prestige that the church has, sucking its life away by their refusal to let go.
Take, for example, a church in our town that has a beautiful sanctuary, which can seat at least three hundred people, but only has about twelve people worshipping each Sunday. An approach was made to the Session by the local Korean Presbyterian church to combine their congregations in order to redevelop the building and bring life back into the church. At first things seemed to be going well, and then when an agreement was almost made, the twelve member church refused to finalize the process. Rather than bring in hundreds of new Korean church members with their families, they backed out and decided to remain small. Eventually, the church will fall into major disrepair, become dilapidated and die. The congregation is both ineffective and unproductive. God will surely not bless such an out-of-touch-with-reality community.
It’s about time we held our smaller congregations accountable for their lack of mission and purpose, ministry and vision. There’s no good reason to sustain them if they are not willing to make the necessary changes. Let’s not let nostalgia and rooting for the under dog get in the way of Christian practicality and Presbyterian polity. If they will not grow, they need to go.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You hold us all to be accountable for what we say and do on behalf of Your Kingdom. You call upon us to go out into the world, making disciples of all the nations and baptizing people in Your Name. Bless our churches with a great desire to increase Your Kingdom in the communities where we reside. Close those churches who impair Your work by just wanting to coast along and do nothing effective or productive. In Your Holy Name, we sadly pray. Amen.
2 Peter 1:8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There are two things that most pastors fear for the churches that they serve: that the congregations become ineffective and unproductive. Over the last thirteen years, I’ve watched small unproductive and ineffective churches drain the pooled resources of our Presbytery and denomination year after year without any change to their status. And when Presbytery threatens to pull its resources from them, they become church tyrants monstrously opposed to any interference to their non-existent mission to their local communities.
Most of the time, these small churches are manipulated by one or two strong families who believe it is their divine right to keep the congregation the way it is. They firmly possess all the power, property, and prestige that the church has, sucking its life away by their refusal to let go.
Take, for example, a church in our town that has a beautiful sanctuary, which can seat at least three hundred people, but only has about twelve people worshipping each Sunday. An approach was made to the Session by the local Korean Presbyterian church to combine their congregations in order to redevelop the building and bring life back into the church. At first things seemed to be going well, and then when an agreement was almost made, the twelve member church refused to finalize the process. Rather than bring in hundreds of new Korean church members with their families, they backed out and decided to remain small. Eventually, the church will fall into major disrepair, become dilapidated and die. The congregation is both ineffective and unproductive. God will surely not bless such an out-of-touch-with-reality community.
It’s about time we held our smaller congregations accountable for their lack of mission and purpose, ministry and vision. There’s no good reason to sustain them if they are not willing to make the necessary changes. Let’s not let nostalgia and rooting for the under dog get in the way of Christian practicality and Presbyterian polity. If they will not grow, they need to go.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You hold us all to be accountable for what we say and do on behalf of Your Kingdom. You call upon us to go out into the world, making disciples of all the nations and baptizing people in Your Name. Bless our churches with a great desire to increase Your Kingdom in the communities where we reside. Close those churches who impair Your work by just wanting to coast along and do nothing effective or productive. In Your Holy Name, we sadly pray. Amen.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Weekend Screensaver: Psalm 01
Beginning a new series of screensavers based upon the Book of Psalms
I may go abstract instead of encaustic.
I may go abstract instead of encaustic.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Thanksgiving Challenge
How driving through the Western Heights Projects yesterday has challenged my celebration of Thanksgiving today.
2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
Evelyn and I went to Waffle House for breakfast this morning. It’s about the only place that’s open on Thanksgiving. As usual, the cooks and waitresses were bright and cheerful and we were served without any delay. It was a good way to start the holiday.
I sometimes wonder what it’s like for someone who has to serve others on a family holiday. There have been holidays in the past when I have been called out on an emergency, so I guess I know part of it. But what’s it like to have to work on holidays, in order to make payments on the rent or put food on the table?
Yesterday, I delivered a Thanksgiving basket to a family that our wee church supports. Instead of coming back the usual route via the interstate, I traveled through the Western Heights area. It was another world. It felt like a shadow of hopelessness, poverty, and fear had covered the whole area. I wanted to do something more to help, but I didn’t know what to do. I grew up in a deprived area of Glasgow, Scotland, so I know something of the poverty and despair, but this felt different. People looked as though they were trapped by some kind of evil force that just wouldn’t let them escape or go somewhere better.
This has made me more aware of the blessings that my family and I share, but it also challenges me to somehow bring the Gospel into these broken lives. I don’t know what I can possibly do, but there are a few churches in the area that probably need support and help. I need to think and pray about this. I need to ask Christ what does He want done?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are truly thankful for who we are and what we have. Help us not take life’s blessings for granted. Challenge us to change our ways so that we may help others escape the fear, poverty, and despair that they experience each day, and especially on this day of Thanksgiving. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.
2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
Evelyn and I went to Waffle House for breakfast this morning. It’s about the only place that’s open on Thanksgiving. As usual, the cooks and waitresses were bright and cheerful and we were served without any delay. It was a good way to start the holiday.
I sometimes wonder what it’s like for someone who has to serve others on a family holiday. There have been holidays in the past when I have been called out on an emergency, so I guess I know part of it. But what’s it like to have to work on holidays, in order to make payments on the rent or put food on the table?
Yesterday, I delivered a Thanksgiving basket to a family that our wee church supports. Instead of coming back the usual route via the interstate, I traveled through the Western Heights area. It was another world. It felt like a shadow of hopelessness, poverty, and fear had covered the whole area. I wanted to do something more to help, but I didn’t know what to do. I grew up in a deprived area of Glasgow, Scotland, so I know something of the poverty and despair, but this felt different. People looked as though they were trapped by some kind of evil force that just wouldn’t let them escape or go somewhere better.
This has made me more aware of the blessings that my family and I share, but it also challenges me to somehow bring the Gospel into these broken lives. I don’t know what I can possibly do, but there are a few churches in the area that probably need support and help. I need to think and pray about this. I need to ask Christ what does He want done?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are truly thankful for who we are and what we have. Help us not take life’s blessings for granted. Challenge us to change our ways so that we may help others escape the fear, poverty, and despair that they experience each day, and especially on this day of Thanksgiving. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Erin Church Devotions: Thankfulness
How an email from a missionary in South India has given me a greater appreciation of the Lord's servants throughout the world.
Audio version here
2 Corinthians 4:15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
I received an email the other day from a Christian in India, who reads our devotionals. Both Tharian Matthew and his wife are working hard teaching Christ’s message in his own community. He writes:
I attended the Scots Kirk in Chennai, India as a kid and was also married in the same church 24 years ago.I live in Tiruchy, in South India with my wife and daughter and edit an English Christian monthly, "Vision of the Christ." My wife and I preach, conduct prayer cells, women’s fellowship and intercessory prayers on different days of the week. We attend the Revival Christian worship centre pastored by Rev. Dr. K. Jacob on Sundays.God bless you and the work you are doing.
It’s amazing how God connects Christ’s Church throughout the world. We are thousands of miles apart, but we are involved in the same work: - that of bringing Christ’s message to the people in our communities. I pray that God blesses Tharian and his family in the ministry and mission that they have accepted for Christ.
Tomorrow, we all celebrate Thanksgiving. As we gather around the table, thanking God for our families and friends, perhaps we should also be thankful for Jesus in our lives, and for all the ministers and missionaries who go out into the world to spread the Gospel, teach God’s people, and praise His Holy Name.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are truly thankful for Your grace that has touched our hearts and transformed our lives. We thank You for the people that You placed in our lives, who were the messengers of Your Word that caused us to accept You in our hearts. Be with Tharian and his wife, their church and community. Bless the work that they do and help us, like them, to bring others to church this Sunday. Make us all ministers and missionaries of Your Gospel. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Audio version here
2 Corinthians 4:15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
I received an email the other day from a Christian in India, who reads our devotionals. Both Tharian Matthew and his wife are working hard teaching Christ’s message in his own community. He writes:
I attended the Scots Kirk in Chennai, India as a kid and was also married in the same church 24 years ago.I live in Tiruchy, in South India with my wife and daughter and edit an English Christian monthly, "Vision of the Christ." My wife and I preach, conduct prayer cells, women’s fellowship and intercessory prayers on different days of the week. We attend the Revival Christian worship centre pastored by Rev. Dr. K. Jacob on Sundays.God bless you and the work you are doing.
It’s amazing how God connects Christ’s Church throughout the world. We are thousands of miles apart, but we are involved in the same work: - that of bringing Christ’s message to the people in our communities. I pray that God blesses Tharian and his family in the ministry and mission that they have accepted for Christ.
Tomorrow, we all celebrate Thanksgiving. As we gather around the table, thanking God for our families and friends, perhaps we should also be thankful for Jesus in our lives, and for all the ministers and missionaries who go out into the world to spread the Gospel, teach God’s people, and praise His Holy Name.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are truly thankful for Your grace that has touched our hearts and transformed our lives. We thank You for the people that You placed in our lives, who were the messengers of Your Word that caused us to accept You in our hearts. Be with Tharian and his wife, their church and community. Bless the work that they do and help us, like them, to bring others to church this Sunday. Make us all ministers and missionaries of Your Gospel. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Erin Church Devotions: Boxer
How the Christian conversion of a thief in Victorian London began a journey of faith for a Scots family living in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Audio version here
2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
A couple of years ago, the WWJD movement swept Christian circles. I can remember seeing many young people wearing bracelets with those initials on them. It all had to do with the much loved book, “In His Steps” written by Charles M. Sheldon. The book was all about a church being transformed by an event that caused the congregation to ask themselves “What Would Jesus Do?” in every situation.
Like most movements, this one has had its day, and people have moved on to something else. Sheldon’s book can still be purchased online, but how many people are reading and applying it?
Sheldon wrote a much better book called “Broken Earthenware,” which is sadly out of print. It tells the story of a fierce thief called Boxer, who is dramatically converted one night during a burglary. Instead of remaining a thief, Boxer becomes an itinerant preacher, who is slain by the Spirit and washed in the blood of Jesus. Instead of bullying the people in his community like some sort of Bill Sykes, he changes the thieves and vagabonds, drunks and prostitutes in his part of London. He gets them to build a church and the book tells of his struggles with faith. In the end, his young son becomes a pastor and continues the work of Christ.
It’s a great book based on a true story. I owe my ministry, marriage, and children to Boxer’s conversion. Why? Well, you see Boxer’s son was known as Pastor Howard and when he was in his late eighties, he came to the 428 Gospel club in Glasgow, Scotland and preached a message about his father, which reduced everyone to tears, including my own wife Evelyn, who gave her heart to Christ when Pastor Howard gave the call. Boxer’s legacy of faith continues in the love of the Lord that both our children have in their hearts. God does indeed work in mysterious ways.
It is my fervent hope and prayer that you have also given your heart to Jesus in a personal way. All it takes is surrendering yourself to God’s love, looking for His forgiveness, and receiving His blessing through Jesus Christ, God’s Holy Son.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the people in the past whose lives and faith have touched our own. Thank You for the Spirit of conversion that transforms even the wickedest of people into becoming Your most devoted servants. Give us the courage to surrender our hearts to You today, and help us to place our lives into Your hands, both now and forever. Amen.
Audio version here
2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
A couple of years ago, the WWJD movement swept Christian circles. I can remember seeing many young people wearing bracelets with those initials on them. It all had to do with the much loved book, “In His Steps” written by Charles M. Sheldon. The book was all about a church being transformed by an event that caused the congregation to ask themselves “What Would Jesus Do?” in every situation.
Like most movements, this one has had its day, and people have moved on to something else. Sheldon’s book can still be purchased online, but how many people are reading and applying it?
Sheldon wrote a much better book called “Broken Earthenware,” which is sadly out of print. It tells the story of a fierce thief called Boxer, who is dramatically converted one night during a burglary. Instead of remaining a thief, Boxer becomes an itinerant preacher, who is slain by the Spirit and washed in the blood of Jesus. Instead of bullying the people in his community like some sort of Bill Sykes, he changes the thieves and vagabonds, drunks and prostitutes in his part of London. He gets them to build a church and the book tells of his struggles with faith. In the end, his young son becomes a pastor and continues the work of Christ.
It’s a great book based on a true story. I owe my ministry, marriage, and children to Boxer’s conversion. Why? Well, you see Boxer’s son was known as Pastor Howard and when he was in his late eighties, he came to the 428 Gospel club in Glasgow, Scotland and preached a message about his father, which reduced everyone to tears, including my own wife Evelyn, who gave her heart to Christ when Pastor Howard gave the call. Boxer’s legacy of faith continues in the love of the Lord that both our children have in their hearts. God does indeed work in mysterious ways.
It is my fervent hope and prayer that you have also given your heart to Jesus in a personal way. All it takes is surrendering yourself to God’s love, looking for His forgiveness, and receiving His blessing through Jesus Christ, God’s Holy Son.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the people in the past whose lives and faith have touched our own. Thank You for the Spirit of conversion that transforms even the wickedest of people into becoming Your most devoted servants. Give us the courage to surrender our hearts to You today, and help us to place our lives into Your hands, both now and forever. Amen.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Erin Church Sunday Sermon: Working for the Lord
I only remember two occasions in my life when my father was unemployed. The first time it happened occurred when the engineering firm he worked for decided to relocate. Dad didn’t want to move our family 250 miles away in order to keep his engineering position, so he opted to take a redundancy payment that would keep our family going for three months. He felt certain that he could get started in a new job almost immediately and wasn’t worried about his long term prospects. He had marketable skills and he was in his early thirties, so he felt that he was making the right decision for our family. He didn’t want to uproot us away from our extended family to go south and work in England. He also knew that Scottish families underwent hard times in English towns. So he decided to stay and wait for work to come to him.
But it didn’t happen. He was unemployed for almost a whole year, so his redundancy money was quickly used up. He desperately went from factory to factory trying to get a job. Our extended families kept us from sinking, but there weren’t any luxuries in our home. Pieces of furniture were pawned, family antiques were sold, and items that he had brought from all over the world in his years as a merchant seaman, which hung proudly on our walls, began to disappear.
He was desperate for work and even tried his hand at being a door-to-door salesman. I can still picture the little brown leather suitcase that he carried, which was full of plastic ice scrapers, milk bottle lids, and jar openers. He even got me and my brother Andy to go around the neighborhood distributing leaflets announcing that he would in the area with some wonderful gifts and items that people couldn’t live without. He tried it for a whole week and gave up trying. He was an engineer, not a pioneer.
More than anything, I think being unemployed affected his pride as a man. We’re talking about the early 1960’s here, when most women stayed at home. He didn’t like being idle and he hated collecting unemployment benefit. All he wanted to do was to make an honest day’s wage for an honest day’s work. He hated depending upon government and charity. He wanted to support his wife and family. He wanted to be a real man.
I guess when Paul is writing to the Thessalonians “if a man will not work, he shall not eat,” he was thinking the same way. This young Greek church that the apostle had founded was going through what most churches experience: that some of the members were not pulling their fair share or being committed to the work of Christ. I guess that the 20:80 principal operated in Paul’s time – that 20% of the membership effectively carried out 80% of the work. But rather than put up with it, which so many of our churches do today, Paul was direct and candid. If you will not work, you will not eat. In other words, if you are not willing to contribute service, energy, and resources to the life, ministry, and work of the church, then you will not receive any of its benefits and blessings.
We might think that Paul was being unfair, insensitive, and judgmental, but we forget the times. Christians were losing their lives for believing in Jesus. They were persecuted by the Jews for daring to call God “Father,” as Christ Himself had done. And they were being executed by Romans for daring to say that “Jesus is Lord” instead of expressing that title to Caesar alone.
So, when Paul castigates the idlers in the church for not doing their fair share, he is letting them know, in no uncertain terms, that to claim to be a Christian takes a lot of courage, hard work, and effort. For the church to be effective in the world, it could not afford to carry religious idlers and loafers, congregational panhandlers and theological hobos. In those days, if you made a commitment to Christ and took up membership in the Church, it was all or nothing.
Seven hundred years ago today in Switzerland, a young father was ordered to shoot his crossbow at his young son. The Austrian tyrant Gessler gave the command to a Swiss patriot called William Tell. William had stirred up the Swiss people to revolt against their Austrian invaders and he used his expertise with the crossbow to kill many of the invading troops. He was captured along with his son, and Gessler wanted William tell to suffer for it. He told William that if he could shoot an apple off of his son’s head with his crossbow, both he and his son would be set free. So William Tell’s son stood up against a tree, with an apple in his head, which his father had to shoot or both of them would end up dead. It was all or nothing.
Tell took two arrows from his quiver, as Gessler and his Austrian troops watched with glee. William put one arrow in the crossbow and placed the other in his belt. Patiently, he lifted up the crossbow and took aim at the apple. If he missed the apple and hit the tree, then both he and his son would be executed. If he missed the apple and hit his son, William Tell’s heart would be broken. He took careful aim and focused on the shot, in what must have been the most intense few seconds of his life. I’m sure that his heart must have a skipped a beat when he fired the arrow. Thankfully, it split the apple in two and William Tell was freed. Just before he left, Gessler asked him why he took two arrows from his quiver, to which Tell fiercely replied, “If I had killed my son with the first arrow, I would have killed you with the second one.” It was all or nothing.
What I’m trying to relate to all of us this morning is what it means to actually be a Christian. It’s all or nothing. My Dad trudged the streets of Glasgow looking for work to support his wife and children – our survival meant all to him. William Tell applied his skills to free himself and his son – their survival meant everything to him. Paul urges the Thessalonians Christians to take their faith seriously in order to survive hostile persecution – it was all for Jesus, or nothing would remain. People in our lives, people in history, and people in the story of our faith have been faced with this choice generation after generation, and nation after nation. It’s all or nothing.
There’s no such thing as a nominal Christian. There’s no such thing as an average believer. There’s no such thing as come and go as you please servant in God’s Kingdom. It’s all or nothing. There’s no such thing as a nearly saved Christian – you’re either all saved or your not. There’s no such thing as a limited Savior – Christ is either all Savior to us, or he is nothing at all.
There’s an eerie, old-fashioned Baptist hymn that most of us have forgotten or some of us have never heard written by Philip Bliss. He wrote a lot of the old sacred songs and solos, which have become standards at many revival meetings and evangelical churches throughout the entire world. He died in a train wreck in Ashtabula, Ohio. He was traveling with his wife and Philip initially survived the wreck, but he went back on to the blazing carriage to try to save his wife. He never came out alive – his love for her was all or nothing.
Anyway, he once sang this song that he had composed at a revival meeting where many people had gathered. After the song was sung, fifteen thousand people bowed their heads in prayer and made their commitment to the Lord.
Here’s the song
“Almost persuaded” now to believe;“
Almost persuaded” Christ to receive;
Seems now some soul to say,
“Go, Spirit, go Thy way,
Some more convenient dayOn Thee I’ll call.”
“Almost persuaded,” come, come today;
“Almost persuaded,” turn not away;
Jesus invites you here,
Angels are lingering near
Prayers rise from hearts so dear;
O wanderer, come!
“Almost persuaded,” harvest is past!
“Almost persuaded,” doom comes at last!
“Almost” cannot avail;“
Almost” is but to fail!
Sad, sad, that bitter wail—“Almost,” but lost!
Prayer Call
But it didn’t happen. He was unemployed for almost a whole year, so his redundancy money was quickly used up. He desperately went from factory to factory trying to get a job. Our extended families kept us from sinking, but there weren’t any luxuries in our home. Pieces of furniture were pawned, family antiques were sold, and items that he had brought from all over the world in his years as a merchant seaman, which hung proudly on our walls, began to disappear.
He was desperate for work and even tried his hand at being a door-to-door salesman. I can still picture the little brown leather suitcase that he carried, which was full of plastic ice scrapers, milk bottle lids, and jar openers. He even got me and my brother Andy to go around the neighborhood distributing leaflets announcing that he would in the area with some wonderful gifts and items that people couldn’t live without. He tried it for a whole week and gave up trying. He was an engineer, not a pioneer.
More than anything, I think being unemployed affected his pride as a man. We’re talking about the early 1960’s here, when most women stayed at home. He didn’t like being idle and he hated collecting unemployment benefit. All he wanted to do was to make an honest day’s wage for an honest day’s work. He hated depending upon government and charity. He wanted to support his wife and family. He wanted to be a real man.
I guess when Paul is writing to the Thessalonians “if a man will not work, he shall not eat,” he was thinking the same way. This young Greek church that the apostle had founded was going through what most churches experience: that some of the members were not pulling their fair share or being committed to the work of Christ. I guess that the 20:80 principal operated in Paul’s time – that 20% of the membership effectively carried out 80% of the work. But rather than put up with it, which so many of our churches do today, Paul was direct and candid. If you will not work, you will not eat. In other words, if you are not willing to contribute service, energy, and resources to the life, ministry, and work of the church, then you will not receive any of its benefits and blessings.
We might think that Paul was being unfair, insensitive, and judgmental, but we forget the times. Christians were losing their lives for believing in Jesus. They were persecuted by the Jews for daring to call God “Father,” as Christ Himself had done. And they were being executed by Romans for daring to say that “Jesus is Lord” instead of expressing that title to Caesar alone.
So, when Paul castigates the idlers in the church for not doing their fair share, he is letting them know, in no uncertain terms, that to claim to be a Christian takes a lot of courage, hard work, and effort. For the church to be effective in the world, it could not afford to carry religious idlers and loafers, congregational panhandlers and theological hobos. In those days, if you made a commitment to Christ and took up membership in the Church, it was all or nothing.
Seven hundred years ago today in Switzerland, a young father was ordered to shoot his crossbow at his young son. The Austrian tyrant Gessler gave the command to a Swiss patriot called William Tell. William had stirred up the Swiss people to revolt against their Austrian invaders and he used his expertise with the crossbow to kill many of the invading troops. He was captured along with his son, and Gessler wanted William tell to suffer for it. He told William that if he could shoot an apple off of his son’s head with his crossbow, both he and his son would be set free. So William Tell’s son stood up against a tree, with an apple in his head, which his father had to shoot or both of them would end up dead. It was all or nothing.
Tell took two arrows from his quiver, as Gessler and his Austrian troops watched with glee. William put one arrow in the crossbow and placed the other in his belt. Patiently, he lifted up the crossbow and took aim at the apple. If he missed the apple and hit the tree, then both he and his son would be executed. If he missed the apple and hit his son, William Tell’s heart would be broken. He took careful aim and focused on the shot, in what must have been the most intense few seconds of his life. I’m sure that his heart must have a skipped a beat when he fired the arrow. Thankfully, it split the apple in two and William Tell was freed. Just before he left, Gessler asked him why he took two arrows from his quiver, to which Tell fiercely replied, “If I had killed my son with the first arrow, I would have killed you with the second one.” It was all or nothing.
What I’m trying to relate to all of us this morning is what it means to actually be a Christian. It’s all or nothing. My Dad trudged the streets of Glasgow looking for work to support his wife and children – our survival meant all to him. William Tell applied his skills to free himself and his son – their survival meant everything to him. Paul urges the Thessalonians Christians to take their faith seriously in order to survive hostile persecution – it was all for Jesus, or nothing would remain. People in our lives, people in history, and people in the story of our faith have been faced with this choice generation after generation, and nation after nation. It’s all or nothing.
There’s no such thing as a nominal Christian. There’s no such thing as an average believer. There’s no such thing as come and go as you please servant in God’s Kingdom. It’s all or nothing. There’s no such thing as a nearly saved Christian – you’re either all saved or your not. There’s no such thing as a limited Savior – Christ is either all Savior to us, or he is nothing at all.
There’s an eerie, old-fashioned Baptist hymn that most of us have forgotten or some of us have never heard written by Philip Bliss. He wrote a lot of the old sacred songs and solos, which have become standards at many revival meetings and evangelical churches throughout the entire world. He died in a train wreck in Ashtabula, Ohio. He was traveling with his wife and Philip initially survived the wreck, but he went back on to the blazing carriage to try to save his wife. He never came out alive – his love for her was all or nothing.
Anyway, he once sang this song that he had composed at a revival meeting where many people had gathered. After the song was sung, fifteen thousand people bowed their heads in prayer and made their commitment to the Lord.
Here’s the song
“Almost persuaded” now to believe;“
Almost persuaded” Christ to receive;
Seems now some soul to say,
“Go, Spirit, go Thy way,
Some more convenient dayOn Thee I’ll call.”
“Almost persuaded,” come, come today;
“Almost persuaded,” turn not away;
Jesus invites you here,
Angels are lingering near
Prayers rise from hearts so dear;
O wanderer, come!
“Almost persuaded,” harvest is past!
“Almost persuaded,” doom comes at last!
“Almost” cannot avail;“
Almost” is but to fail!
Sad, sad, that bitter wail—“Almost,” but lost!
Prayer Call
Friday, November 16, 2007
Erin Church Devotions: Monkey Puzzle
Audio Version here
Have you ever seen a monkey puzzle tree? They are also known as Chilean Pines and come from the Andes regions in South America. They prefer a cold, wet climate so you see a lot of them in Scotland. I guess some intrepid Victorian explorer brought the seeds back home with him and they started to flourish in Scottish gardens.
I think that they are beautiful trees and love seeing them around the world. I know that there are some in Virginia, but I’ve not come across any in Tennessee. They make beautiful ornamental trees when they are young, but as they grow older they reach massive heights. The leaves on the tree are packed tightly together and look like cacti. I suspect that they were called monkey puzzles because South American capuchin monkeys would have a hard time getting to the top to eat the tree nuts.
Some verses from the Bible are like that. Take today’s for instance:-
Luke 18:8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?
It’s from a parable about prayer and justice, which seems to conclude when Christ teaches His listeners that God hears those who persevere in prayer. But then Jesus tags on something completely different. He challenges the people by asking ‘will faith be found on earth when He returns?’
What does Jesus mean by this? You would think that people who persistently pray have faith and those who uphold justice would be godly. Why is Christ not expecting much faith on the earth when He returns? This is one of those verses that I wish Jesus hadn’t uttered. It just makes my head go round and round in circles.
And then a light goes on: it’s a lesson for all of us not to get too preoccupied with our needs or to be overwhelmed by the woes of the world. If we are too focused on the here and now, we will disregard what’s to come and forget that, as well as having earthly experiences, we also can have an eternal life with Christ. So I guess instead of trying to make everything perfect in the world, we should be willing to wait for that perfection when Christ eventually arrives. If we concentrate too much on what happens here, we end up having faith in ourselves; but if we hold on to that sacred hope that when Christ returns peace and justice, blessings and happiness will be ours, then we will be constantly looking forward to that precious time. And if we do that, then Christ will indeed find faith on earth when He at last returns.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we constantly talk to You about our needs and seek justice throughout the world. Help us to do whatever we can to make this world a better place, but also remind us that perfection and peace, justice and true enjoyment will only come to all the earth when You arrive. Be with us and bless us as we wait to serve You forever. Amen.
Have you ever seen a monkey puzzle tree? They are also known as Chilean Pines and come from the Andes regions in South America. They prefer a cold, wet climate so you see a lot of them in Scotland. I guess some intrepid Victorian explorer brought the seeds back home with him and they started to flourish in Scottish gardens.
I think that they are beautiful trees and love seeing them around the world. I know that there are some in Virginia, but I’ve not come across any in Tennessee. They make beautiful ornamental trees when they are young, but as they grow older they reach massive heights. The leaves on the tree are packed tightly together and look like cacti. I suspect that they were called monkey puzzles because South American capuchin monkeys would have a hard time getting to the top to eat the tree nuts.
Some verses from the Bible are like that. Take today’s for instance:-
Luke 18:8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?
It’s from a parable about prayer and justice, which seems to conclude when Christ teaches His listeners that God hears those who persevere in prayer. But then Jesus tags on something completely different. He challenges the people by asking ‘will faith be found on earth when He returns?’
What does Jesus mean by this? You would think that people who persistently pray have faith and those who uphold justice would be godly. Why is Christ not expecting much faith on the earth when He returns? This is one of those verses that I wish Jesus hadn’t uttered. It just makes my head go round and round in circles.
And then a light goes on: it’s a lesson for all of us not to get too preoccupied with our needs or to be overwhelmed by the woes of the world. If we are too focused on the here and now, we will disregard what’s to come and forget that, as well as having earthly experiences, we also can have an eternal life with Christ. So I guess instead of trying to make everything perfect in the world, we should be willing to wait for that perfection when Christ eventually arrives. If we concentrate too much on what happens here, we end up having faith in ourselves; but if we hold on to that sacred hope that when Christ returns peace and justice, blessings and happiness will be ours, then we will be constantly looking forward to that precious time. And if we do that, then Christ will indeed find faith on earth when He at last returns.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we constantly talk to You about our needs and seek justice throughout the world. Help us to do whatever we can to make this world a better place, but also remind us that perfection and peace, justice and true enjoyment will only come to all the earth when You arrive. Be with us and bless us as we wait to serve You forever. Amen.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Erin Church Devotions: Real faith
Audio version here
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote to you about Pastor Daniel, an evangelist from Indonesia. He, along with 40 other Christian leaders, has been sentenced to five years of imprisonment, just because he prayed for the Muslim community to be open to Christ’s Gospel. I informed you that I was handwriting a letter to him in phonetic Indonesian, so that his family and friends could hold on to their hope in Christ.
Two weeks have passed and Daniel has received over 1400 letters from pastors and people around the world. The authorities are beginning to sit up and take notice. Daniel’s family are heartily encouraged by the amount of international support that he is being given. It truly is a wonderful way of sharing and expressing the Gospel to people in other lands. I hope and pray that Daniel and the others are released soon.
Daniel is a God-fearing Christian, who takes Christ’s message to heart and is unwilling to compromise its integrity. A week on Tuesday, I am going to our local Presbytery meeting and already I am feeling torn by it. Two new pastors will be presented at the meeting for approval. I’ve read their statements of faith online and once again, I am bewildered. I’ll have to ask one of them what is meant by salvation and is Christ the Only Savior of the World. The other one does not mention God as Father, nor of Christ as being His true Son.
It may just be a slip of the pen or keyboard, and to other people this will not seem important, but when I think of Pastor Daniel languishing and suffering in an Indonesian prison for not compromising his faith, I feel really ill at ease with those pastors amongst who all too readily set aside traditional beliefs and replace them with what they’ve learned from seminary professors, instead of holding fast to the words and teachings of Christ and His apostles.
I’ll probably endure some criticism again for asking these questions and voicing my concerns, but it will be nothing compared to what Daniel is experiencing. I hope and pray that my passion will not overload my reason; and that my heart will not overwhelm my head.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Son of God and He is Your Almighty Father. We are adopted as daughters and sons of God through our allegiance to You and by Your sacrificial death. Help us to value our salvation and keep us revering Who You really are. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Verse for the Day:
Titus 1:4 To Titus, my true son in our common faith:
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote to you about Pastor Daniel, an evangelist from Indonesia. He, along with 40 other Christian leaders, has been sentenced to five years of imprisonment, just because he prayed for the Muslim community to be open to Christ’s Gospel. I informed you that I was handwriting a letter to him in phonetic Indonesian, so that his family and friends could hold on to their hope in Christ.
Two weeks have passed and Daniel has received over 1400 letters from pastors and people around the world. The authorities are beginning to sit up and take notice. Daniel’s family are heartily encouraged by the amount of international support that he is being given. It truly is a wonderful way of sharing and expressing the Gospel to people in other lands. I hope and pray that Daniel and the others are released soon.
Daniel is a God-fearing Christian, who takes Christ’s message to heart and is unwilling to compromise its integrity. A week on Tuesday, I am going to our local Presbytery meeting and already I am feeling torn by it. Two new pastors will be presented at the meeting for approval. I’ve read their statements of faith online and once again, I am bewildered. I’ll have to ask one of them what is meant by salvation and is Christ the Only Savior of the World. The other one does not mention God as Father, nor of Christ as being His true Son.
It may just be a slip of the pen or keyboard, and to other people this will not seem important, but when I think of Pastor Daniel languishing and suffering in an Indonesian prison for not compromising his faith, I feel really ill at ease with those pastors amongst who all too readily set aside traditional beliefs and replace them with what they’ve learned from seminary professors, instead of holding fast to the words and teachings of Christ and His apostles.
I’ll probably endure some criticism again for asking these questions and voicing my concerns, but it will be nothing compared to what Daniel is experiencing. I hope and pray that my passion will not overload my reason; and that my heart will not overwhelm my head.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Son of God and He is Your Almighty Father. We are adopted as daughters and sons of God through our allegiance to You and by Your sacrificial death. Help us to value our salvation and keep us revering Who You really are. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Verse for the Day:
Titus 1:4 To Titus, my true son in our common faith:
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Tertullian Revisited: Chapter 8 - We are Faith Finders, not Spiritual Seekers
Some people believe that the purpose of life is to seek the truth. Christians and heretics abide by this concept, but differ in regard to the outcome. True believers find the truth and stick with it. Heretics find the journey more appealing and continue the process of seeking. Instead of affirming the faith, they seek to confirm their own love of the journey by continually seeking new questions, ideas, and opinions that lead them down a narcissistic blind alley.
Christ invites us from the scriptures to both seek and find. Christians and heretics alike begin their journey here.
Jesus asked this of His disciples and contemporaries, who were searching for the Messiah. He was pointing them to Himself, to show them that the centuries old search for the Anointed One was complete.
Some did not know that the Messiah was amongst them; therefore Jesus was asking them to make their search during His lifetime. He was showing them that the journey would lead to Him alone.
God revealed His presence to the Jews over several centuries. In Christ, God gave the last revelation that personal faith journeys would require. The Jewish search for the Messiah was over. The plan of salvation was made complete in Christ.
Christ referred His people to the Holy Scriptures. The sacred clues were there, in both the law and the prophets. Moses and Elijah testified to Christ’s coming into the world. Thus, when Christ asks His people to ‘seek and find” He is telling them to study the scriptures, read God’s word, and figure out that Jesus is the Anointed One.
For those to whom this was not clear, Christ asked them to knock on the door of faith and understanding, which would be opened to them. For those who were unclear about Christ’s divinity, He was again pointing them in His direction.
The Jewish people experienced a sacred privilege – that of being chosen as the Covenanted People of God – but when they rejected Christ as their Messiah, they were no longer blessed as the Only Chosen Ones.
God then extended His grace to those who lay outside of His Holy Covenant. He permitted the Gentile nations to receive the good news of Christ and be part of the Gospel promises that Jesus obtained through His sacrificial death on the Cross.
The Gentile nations knew nothing of Christ until Jewish disciples walked beyond their borders to broadcast the Gospel throughout the earth. Just as the Jews themselves had been scattered across the Mediterranean, so was the New Testament of God carried, expressed, and shared to the Diaspora.
To those who sought to find the truth and know Him better, Christ invited them to ask of Him. Since the truth was to be found in Him, He would personally answer their questions. For true believers this is acceptable; but for heretics, this is too simple.
Christ spoke first of all to Israel. He was called to be Messiah of His people, and then Savior of the world. He was sent to bring back those who had fallen away from God and return them to the faithful flock.
So, this invitation to “seek and find” is initially to be understood as a call to the Jews to look no further than Jesus to find the Christ. His ministry was to reach out to His own Chosen people; it was only later that the bread from the Master’s table would be fed to the Gentiles.
Only at the last, before His Ascension, did Christ tell His disciples to go out into the world, to teach and baptize people of other nations. And with the presence of the Holy Spirit, they were to engage in evangelism for the same purpose as His Ministry to the Jews: to enable those who were seeking the truth to find it in Christ Jesus.
The apostles were ordained by God, sent out by Christ, and anointed with the Holy Spirit to tell the world that they had found the Truth. True believers joyously welcome this and accept that the message of the apostles is one that we should readily accept. Heretics, however, do not accept this Christ given authority and question the reliability of the apostles. In effect, heretics question the work of the Holy Spirit, which is an unpardonable sin.
The Lord has not left us to work out our own salvation. His words are meant to bring us to Him. Originally, they were addressed to His own people, but throughout the centuries and across the nations, His words of invitation are meant to bring closure to our spiritual seeking and make us finders of the One, True and Everlasting faith – that Jesus Christ is the Anointed Lord of the Universe, and He is the Only Savior of humankind.
Christ invites us from the scriptures to both seek and find. Christians and heretics alike begin their journey here.
Jesus asked this of His disciples and contemporaries, who were searching for the Messiah. He was pointing them to Himself, to show them that the centuries old search for the Anointed One was complete.
Some did not know that the Messiah was amongst them; therefore Jesus was asking them to make their search during His lifetime. He was showing them that the journey would lead to Him alone.
God revealed His presence to the Jews over several centuries. In Christ, God gave the last revelation that personal faith journeys would require. The Jewish search for the Messiah was over. The plan of salvation was made complete in Christ.
Christ referred His people to the Holy Scriptures. The sacred clues were there, in both the law and the prophets. Moses and Elijah testified to Christ’s coming into the world. Thus, when Christ asks His people to ‘seek and find” He is telling them to study the scriptures, read God’s word, and figure out that Jesus is the Anointed One.
For those to whom this was not clear, Christ asked them to knock on the door of faith and understanding, which would be opened to them. For those who were unclear about Christ’s divinity, He was again pointing them in His direction.
The Jewish people experienced a sacred privilege – that of being chosen as the Covenanted People of God – but when they rejected Christ as their Messiah, they were no longer blessed as the Only Chosen Ones.
God then extended His grace to those who lay outside of His Holy Covenant. He permitted the Gentile nations to receive the good news of Christ and be part of the Gospel promises that Jesus obtained through His sacrificial death on the Cross.
The Gentile nations knew nothing of Christ until Jewish disciples walked beyond their borders to broadcast the Gospel throughout the earth. Just as the Jews themselves had been scattered across the Mediterranean, so was the New Testament of God carried, expressed, and shared to the Diaspora.
To those who sought to find the truth and know Him better, Christ invited them to ask of Him. Since the truth was to be found in Him, He would personally answer their questions. For true believers this is acceptable; but for heretics, this is too simple.
Christ spoke first of all to Israel. He was called to be Messiah of His people, and then Savior of the world. He was sent to bring back those who had fallen away from God and return them to the faithful flock.
So, this invitation to “seek and find” is initially to be understood as a call to the Jews to look no further than Jesus to find the Christ. His ministry was to reach out to His own Chosen people; it was only later that the bread from the Master’s table would be fed to the Gentiles.
Only at the last, before His Ascension, did Christ tell His disciples to go out into the world, to teach and baptize people of other nations. And with the presence of the Holy Spirit, they were to engage in evangelism for the same purpose as His Ministry to the Jews: to enable those who were seeking the truth to find it in Christ Jesus.
The apostles were ordained by God, sent out by Christ, and anointed with the Holy Spirit to tell the world that they had found the Truth. True believers joyously welcome this and accept that the message of the apostles is one that we should readily accept. Heretics, however, do not accept this Christ given authority and question the reliability of the apostles. In effect, heretics question the work of the Holy Spirit, which is an unpardonable sin.
The Lord has not left us to work out our own salvation. His words are meant to bring us to Him. Originally, they were addressed to His own people, but throughout the centuries and across the nations, His words of invitation are meant to bring closure to our spiritual seeking and make us finders of the One, True and Everlasting faith – that Jesus Christ is the Anointed Lord of the Universe, and He is the Only Savior of humankind.
Ben Franklin's Certainties: Death & Taxes...and one other thing
Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
On this day in 1789, Benjamin Franklin wrote the now famous statement that “there is nothing certain in life but death and taxes.” I guess if he was more of a Christian, he would have written something like: “there is nothing certain in life but death, taxes, and the assurance of salvation through the grace of Jesus Christ.”
The role of the church is to express the message of salvation to every generation on earth. Our daily purpose as Christians is to convey our faith through the things that we say and do. It’s not always easy, and all of us fail from time to time, but if our hearts are truly centered on Christ, then we will show others our faith in attractive and compelling ways.
Each of us has been given the beautiful and precious gift of life to make a difference in the world. Added to that gift is faith itself, which we are meant to share with others, especially those who are near and dear to us. In recent years, all of us have found it tougher to express our faith because of the negative impression that the Church has had on our society. Christians are perceived to be holy whiners who complain about the world, but never do anything effective to change it. We are treated as if we belong to another age, which we have brought upon ourselves because of our indifference to the world. We try to be exclusive, detached and elite, instead of rolling up our sleeves and working with people who are hurting, fearful, and struggling with life.
I think it’s time to re-impact our community with Christ’s message. It’s time for all of us who claim to be Christians to review our lives and ask ourselves these questions: if my salvation through Jesus means everything to me, then what’s stopping me from sharing that joy with others? How can I become an effective witness to Christ amongst the people that I know and love, amongst those that I meet and work with?
If we make time to do this throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, then we will make a difference in the community. And that means someone near and dear to us will begin to realize that there’s more to life than death and taxes: Christ’s grace to us is the greatest gift of all and the most blessed certainty of life for those who are His.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, give us the courage to make the most of the opportunities that You give us, to share and express our faith with other people. Help us to respond to the calls that You make of us this day to help those in need, to support those who are struggling, and to share the good news of salvation to those who have forgotten this certainty in these uncertain times. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
On this day in 1789, Benjamin Franklin wrote the now famous statement that “there is nothing certain in life but death and taxes.” I guess if he was more of a Christian, he would have written something like: “there is nothing certain in life but death, taxes, and the assurance of salvation through the grace of Jesus Christ.”
The role of the church is to express the message of salvation to every generation on earth. Our daily purpose as Christians is to convey our faith through the things that we say and do. It’s not always easy, and all of us fail from time to time, but if our hearts are truly centered on Christ, then we will show others our faith in attractive and compelling ways.
Each of us has been given the beautiful and precious gift of life to make a difference in the world. Added to that gift is faith itself, which we are meant to share with others, especially those who are near and dear to us. In recent years, all of us have found it tougher to express our faith because of the negative impression that the Church has had on our society. Christians are perceived to be holy whiners who complain about the world, but never do anything effective to change it. We are treated as if we belong to another age, which we have brought upon ourselves because of our indifference to the world. We try to be exclusive, detached and elite, instead of rolling up our sleeves and working with people who are hurting, fearful, and struggling with life.
I think it’s time to re-impact our community with Christ’s message. It’s time for all of us who claim to be Christians to review our lives and ask ourselves these questions: if my salvation through Jesus means everything to me, then what’s stopping me from sharing that joy with others? How can I become an effective witness to Christ amongst the people that I know and love, amongst those that I meet and work with?
If we make time to do this throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, then we will make a difference in the community. And that means someone near and dear to us will begin to realize that there’s more to life than death and taxes: Christ’s grace to us is the greatest gift of all and the most blessed certainty of life for those who are His.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, give us the courage to make the most of the opportunities that You give us, to share and express our faith with other people. Help us to respond to the calls that You make of us this day to help those in need, to support those who are struggling, and to share the good news of salvation to those who have forgotten this certainty in these uncertain times. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Erin Church devotional: God's Final Revelation
Audio version here
Deuteronomy 4:15,16 You saw no form of any kind the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman. (NIV)
You may not know it, but I love drawing as well as writing. I find both to be very therapeutic. I tend to draw late at night just before I go to bed. It helps to switch off my mind and enables me to wind down after a hectic day. I usually use wax crayons in my drawings. I guess I’ve always been that way since a child. I like the grain effect that crayons produce. Lately, I’ve been designing stained glass windows using the grain effect to enhance the drawings.
I think that the Hebrew children must have loved to draw as well. Maybe they made pictures in the sand or chalked drawings on the rocks. However, they were under a strict prohibition not to make an image and then glorify it. God was beyond their imagining and didn’t want to be contained in a painting or drawing, idol or statue. He was greater than they could possibly know, so to picture Him in an image was to diminish God entirely.
God also liked to reveal His nature to His people in different ways and at different times. The Old Testament is full of events and circumstances where God’s presence is known amongst the people in a dynamic way. Those events such as the Crossing of the Red Sea, Elijah’s sacrifice on Mount Carmel, and Daniel in the Lion’s den testify to the immediate and true presence of God. Images and idols, drawings and pictures were not needed to convince the people that God was truly with them.
And then God’s final revelation to the world came to us in Jesus Christ, His Holy Son. In the midst of a world empire that was obsessed with images and idols, statues and temples, God quietly brought His Son into our world to reveal to us His love, His care, His mercy and grace.
As much as I enjoy drawing, I know that I can never depict Christ as He really is, nor do I ever want to. He is the final revelation of God and we are meant to be attracted to His life, teaching, and words, so that we can one day step into the holy, wonderful, and awesome presence of God. Without Christ in our hearts, we cannot gain entrance to God’s Kingdom. Without Jesus in our lives, we will never get beyond the Pearly Gates. He is the ultimate image of God in the world. Our purpose is to help as many others as we can to see Him that way, too.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Holy Son of God and the last great hope for humankind. You are the true image of holiness and perfection, of strength and courage, of mercy and grace. Help us to turn to You this day, to glorify Your words and deeds, so that we may confidently tell others about who You really are. In Your Holy Name, we humbly serve and pray. Amen.
Deuteronomy 4:15,16 You saw no form of any kind the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman. (NIV)
You may not know it, but I love drawing as well as writing. I find both to be very therapeutic. I tend to draw late at night just before I go to bed. It helps to switch off my mind and enables me to wind down after a hectic day. I usually use wax crayons in my drawings. I guess I’ve always been that way since a child. I like the grain effect that crayons produce. Lately, I’ve been designing stained glass windows using the grain effect to enhance the drawings.
I think that the Hebrew children must have loved to draw as well. Maybe they made pictures in the sand or chalked drawings on the rocks. However, they were under a strict prohibition not to make an image and then glorify it. God was beyond their imagining and didn’t want to be contained in a painting or drawing, idol or statue. He was greater than they could possibly know, so to picture Him in an image was to diminish God entirely.
God also liked to reveal His nature to His people in different ways and at different times. The Old Testament is full of events and circumstances where God’s presence is known amongst the people in a dynamic way. Those events such as the Crossing of the Red Sea, Elijah’s sacrifice on Mount Carmel, and Daniel in the Lion’s den testify to the immediate and true presence of God. Images and idols, drawings and pictures were not needed to convince the people that God was truly with them.
And then God’s final revelation to the world came to us in Jesus Christ, His Holy Son. In the midst of a world empire that was obsessed with images and idols, statues and temples, God quietly brought His Son into our world to reveal to us His love, His care, His mercy and grace.
As much as I enjoy drawing, I know that I can never depict Christ as He really is, nor do I ever want to. He is the final revelation of God and we are meant to be attracted to His life, teaching, and words, so that we can one day step into the holy, wonderful, and awesome presence of God. Without Christ in our hearts, we cannot gain entrance to God’s Kingdom. Without Jesus in our lives, we will never get beyond the Pearly Gates. He is the ultimate image of God in the world. Our purpose is to help as many others as we can to see Him that way, too.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Holy Son of God and the last great hope for humankind. You are the true image of holiness and perfection, of strength and courage, of mercy and grace. Help us to turn to You this day, to glorify Your words and deeds, so that we may confidently tell others about who You really are. In Your Holy Name, we humbly serve and pray. Amen.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Stained Glass design for Veteran's Day
To commemorate Veterans Day - an American Flag and European Poppy
Friday, November 09, 2007
Going to Hell the easy way: Playing Games with our Faith
It’s not what we want to hear – that the Lord blesses and curses. We just want the good parts of the Bible to apply to us and reject the rest. Our generation of Christians is pampered compared to previous ones. We want things the easy way; we want our faith to be unfettered by commandments, demands, and curses from the Lord. We want God to accept us and never want Him to change us, before we will accept Him. We want to make God into our personal assistant, dumping our burdens on Him, and fully expecting Him to bail us out. Instead of revering the Almighty Ruler of the Universe, we want the genie from Aladdin’s lamp. In other words, we want to be in control of every part of our lives.
It doesn’t work that way and never has. We fool ourselves everyday if we think that God doesn’t judge our deeds. And if we turn off just because we read in the Bible something we don’t want to see, or hear from the preacher words we don’t want to accept, then we’ve become the biggest fools in all the centuries of Christendom.
I see people playing with their faith instead of practicing it. I watch folks indulge themselves at this time of year, instead of giving thanks and being grateful to God. I look at our depraved society and it sickens my heart, not because I’m better than anyone else, but because I’m part of the disease itself.
I want to tell people about Jesus and how stern He could be at times, but people don’t want to hear it. I want to preach a Gospel that demands an unconditional surrender to God, but people don’t want to do that. I want to shake up the whole of our civilization and shout out: “Don’t you realize we’re all going to Hell in a hand barrow?” but nobody wants to listen to that kind of Holy Roller talk anymore. We just want to be happy and have a good time. We just want to say to God on Judgment Day, what happens on Earth, stays on Earth.
I won’t play this game anymore because I love the people around me. I won’t dance with the devil any longer in order to keep the peace. I’ll do what the Lord calls me to do – to prepare people for His Coming and to help them get ready for judgment. To do anything less is to disobey God. To do anything other is to come under His curse.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we don’t want to think about judgment or accept Your non-compromising Gospel. We want to be happy, not harassed by You. We want to feel good, not to face God. We want to get to heaven, but none of us wants to die to our sins. O Lord, help us and save us; rebuke us and restore us. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor at Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
It doesn’t work that way and never has. We fool ourselves everyday if we think that God doesn’t judge our deeds. And if we turn off just because we read in the Bible something we don’t want to see, or hear from the preacher words we don’t want to accept, then we’ve become the biggest fools in all the centuries of Christendom.
I see people playing with their faith instead of practicing it. I watch folks indulge themselves at this time of year, instead of giving thanks and being grateful to God. I look at our depraved society and it sickens my heart, not because I’m better than anyone else, but because I’m part of the disease itself.
I want to tell people about Jesus and how stern He could be at times, but people don’t want to hear it. I want to preach a Gospel that demands an unconditional surrender to God, but people don’t want to do that. I want to shake up the whole of our civilization and shout out: “Don’t you realize we’re all going to Hell in a hand barrow?” but nobody wants to listen to that kind of Holy Roller talk anymore. We just want to be happy and have a good time. We just want to say to God on Judgment Day, what happens on Earth, stays on Earth.
I won’t play this game anymore because I love the people around me. I won’t dance with the devil any longer in order to keep the peace. I’ll do what the Lord calls me to do – to prepare people for His Coming and to help them get ready for judgment. To do anything less is to disobey God. To do anything other is to come under His curse.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we don’t want to think about judgment or accept Your non-compromising Gospel. We want to be happy, not harassed by You. We want to feel good, not to face God. We want to get to heaven, but none of us wants to die to our sins. O Lord, help us and save us; rebuke us and restore us. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor at Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Biblical Bunkum
We live in an age of biblical bunkum, where many people make up their own ideas about what Jesus said, and then claim that their own opinions supersede His. They don’t want to hear about judgment or sin, they just want to justify themselves and seek their own course through life. They ignore hell entirely and expect heaven completely. They live their lives accountable to no one, and expect God to turn a blind eye. Rather than having their names written in the Book of Life, they want to make their mark in the world, expecting to be rewarded for their renown. In other words, it’s not what Jesus has said that is important, it’s what they believe that He has said is important.
When I first started writing these devotions more than three years ago, I set out to help our church elders and staff find time to read the Bible and reflect upon God’s Word. I realized that we were all busy and under a great deal of pressure in our lives, so setting aside a few moments in the day to be at one with God was a special way of keeping connected to Him and to His people. After three and a half years, more people are using these devotions to share the word of God with their families and friends, their neighbors and co-workers. The Gospel is being preached across the internet and throughout the world in ways that even the apostle Paul could never have dreamed.
It is my fervent hope and prayer that your journey of faith is being enhanced and inspired through these weekday devotions. But I also pray that you share them with your email contacts, so that others around you may one day be greeted by God because they read the Gospel, received a lesson of faith, and applied it to their own lives, just as you do each day.
May God bless you all for being partners in this devotional ministry that stretches all around the world.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank You for the many wonderful ways that You are using the internet to spread Your Word, to touch the hearts and minds of millions of people throughout the world. Bless us as we share this devotional together and help us to use it as a way of outreach to those whom we love, to those whom we care for, and to those whom we worry about. May You bless them and us with the power of Your grace and Gospel. In your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
P.S – could you send a comment to this blog and just write your first name and where you live? I’d love to share that with everyone.
When I first started writing these devotions more than three years ago, I set out to help our church elders and staff find time to read the Bible and reflect upon God’s Word. I realized that we were all busy and under a great deal of pressure in our lives, so setting aside a few moments in the day to be at one with God was a special way of keeping connected to Him and to His people. After three and a half years, more people are using these devotions to share the word of God with their families and friends, their neighbors and co-workers. The Gospel is being preached across the internet and throughout the world in ways that even the apostle Paul could never have dreamed.
It is my fervent hope and prayer that your journey of faith is being enhanced and inspired through these weekday devotions. But I also pray that you share them with your email contacts, so that others around you may one day be greeted by God because they read the Gospel, received a lesson of faith, and applied it to their own lives, just as you do each day.
May God bless you all for being partners in this devotional ministry that stretches all around the world.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank You for the many wonderful ways that You are using the internet to spread Your Word, to touch the hearts and minds of millions of people throughout the world. Bless us as we share this devotional together and help us to use it as a way of outreach to those whom we love, to those whom we care for, and to those whom we worry about. May You bless them and us with the power of Your grace and Gospel. In your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
P.S – could you send a comment to this blog and just write your first name and where you live? I’d love to share that with everyone.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Everlasting Joy and a Scottish Highland Cow
1 Thessalonians 5:16 Be joyful alwaysMy brother Alan is a great photographer and he recently posted a picture of a Scottish Highland Cow. I’m thinking of creating a poster with it and putting today’s verse below it. The Scottish cow is one of the most somber creatures on earth, which never seems to smile. It has long horns and equally long shaggy red hair. It’s a dearly beloved animal in Scotland and once seen, you never forget them. (I’ve tried to insert Alan’s picture with this devotional).
When Paul writes to the Thessalonian church and urges them to be joyful always, he isn’t ordering them to stick a smile on their faces everywhere they go. There’s nothing worse than meeting Christians with that phony tele-evangelist smile on their faces that you know is incredibly insincere. He’s talking about the joy that we are meant to carry in our hearts each day because we know that we have been saved by Jesus. Of all people on earth, Christians should have an inward happiness, and a blessed assurance within them.
Now that doesn’t mean that we don’t get upset, or experience sadness and remorse. We wouldn’t be human if we didn’t know those kinds of emotions in our lives. Having an ever present joy, in the midst of all sorts of circumstances, means holding on to that hope in our hearts that Christ will carry us, cherish us, and embrace us during the best of times and the worst of moments.
I don’t know what kind of day you are having right now, or what kinds of issues that you are facing. You may be emotionally stretched to your limit, angry or fearful, insecure and uncertain. Whatever you are experiencing, know that Christ is right there with you, carrying you and loving you, holding you and comforting you. In Him, there is a peace and joy that passes all understanding and knows no barriers or limitations.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for being our Savior and for dealing with us lovingly, patiently, and compassionately. We adore You for the many ways in which You cherish and support us. Fill our hearts with Your joy, so that we may become effective servants and witnesses of Your everlasting Kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Unholy Ban: Why I am Boycotting the 2008 Olympic Games
Audio Version here
Next year, the Olympic Games take place in Beijing, China. Thousands of athletes from around the world will gather together to compete for the highest awards in their individual sports. Billions of viewers will tune in to see their favorite sportsmen and sportswomen, hoping that they will win medals for their country. Throughout the three week event, the world will seem to be at one.
But will it? A couple of days ago, the Chinese authorities declared that no religious icons or items will be allowed in the Olympic Campus. Crosses and sacred medallions, Bibles and Korans will be excluded from the Olympic area. The atheistic Communist government is banning religion from the Games, which goes against the Olympic spirit of tolerance. The Chinese leaders want to impose their will on the rest of the world. Now that they have secured the Olympics in their nation, there seems to be nothing that can be done.
Eight years ago, if the Chinese had announced that they were going to impose a religious ban on all the athletes attending the Games, Beijing would never have been chosen to host the 2008 Olympics. I think that this is outrageous and the rest of the world should protest against this. If China wants all the nations of the world to converge in their capital for these international games, then China should accept all the religious baggage that comes with it. To deny athletes the right to bring along articles of faith that may have inspired them is wrong. The mighty dragon may wish to keep their people mainly atheistic, but they cannot impose their will on the rest of the world. Christians and Jews, Muslims and Buddhists, Shintoists and even pagans all have the unalienable human right of practicing their own religion wherever they are located.
I think our leaders should pressure the Chinese Government into backing down from this denial of human rights. If not, then religious people everywhere should seriously consider boycotting the Games entirely. I, for one, will not be watching the Games or show any interest in them until this religious ban is lifted.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, there are forces in the world that seek to deny religious freedom and any expression of faith. Help us to stand up against those authorities that would seek to deny basic human rights and actively oppress religious people. Give us the courage to profess the truth and not accept these shameful ways. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Next year, the Olympic Games take place in Beijing, China. Thousands of athletes from around the world will gather together to compete for the highest awards in their individual sports. Billions of viewers will tune in to see their favorite sportsmen and sportswomen, hoping that they will win medals for their country. Throughout the three week event, the world will seem to be at one.
But will it? A couple of days ago, the Chinese authorities declared that no religious icons or items will be allowed in the Olympic Campus. Crosses and sacred medallions, Bibles and Korans will be excluded from the Olympic area. The atheistic Communist government is banning religion from the Games, which goes against the Olympic spirit of tolerance. The Chinese leaders want to impose their will on the rest of the world. Now that they have secured the Olympics in their nation, there seems to be nothing that can be done.
Eight years ago, if the Chinese had announced that they were going to impose a religious ban on all the athletes attending the Games, Beijing would never have been chosen to host the 2008 Olympics. I think that this is outrageous and the rest of the world should protest against this. If China wants all the nations of the world to converge in their capital for these international games, then China should accept all the religious baggage that comes with it. To deny athletes the right to bring along articles of faith that may have inspired them is wrong. The mighty dragon may wish to keep their people mainly atheistic, but they cannot impose their will on the rest of the world. Christians and Jews, Muslims and Buddhists, Shintoists and even pagans all have the unalienable human right of practicing their own religion wherever they are located.
I think our leaders should pressure the Chinese Government into backing down from this denial of human rights. If not, then religious people everywhere should seriously consider boycotting the Games entirely. I, for one, will not be watching the Games or show any interest in them until this religious ban is lifted.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, there are forces in the world that seek to deny religious freedom and any expression of faith. Help us to stand up against those authorities that would seek to deny basic human rights and actively oppress religious people. Give us the courage to profess the truth and not accept these shameful ways. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Monday, November 05, 2007
Erin Church Sunday Sermon: Where Do we Grow from here?
Where Do We Grow from Here?
Ephesians 6:24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
We have come to the end of a five month journey that we began way back in June. At that time, I told you that we were on a mission to find a new path, a new direction for our church. In my heart, I felt that God was beginning to move us as a church to start thinking about how we could make an impact for Christ in our community.
When I was pondering over what our church should do, I felt led by the Spirit to take us through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians because they were also a church that knew the Lord, but needed to be pointed in the right direction. Today we complete our journey and I hope and pray that this has been something that has drawn all of us closer to Christ and ready for whatever he is asking us to do as a Presbyterian church in this part of Knoxville.
As Paul finishes his letter, he reminds the good folks at Ephesus that he is a prisoner for Christ. He is held captive, whilst the Ephesians are free. He is under house arrest or perhaps in jail. The Ephesians Christians still walk about in their own community, free to serve the Lord, free to worship together, free to do their own thing.
So apostle signs off with these beautiful words of faith: ‘Grace to all who love our lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.’ Paul is doing two things here: he’s finishing his letter with words of encouragement, prayer, and peace. He wants the Ephesian congregation to feel good about their faith, and to be strengthened by his positive words. But Paul is also doing something which is very important: when he gives the blessing to those who love Jesus with an undying love, he’s actually passing the torch of faith to the next generation.
We did something similar this morning when we recognized our young worship graduates. We showed them how pleased we were with their work and asked God to bless them as they graduate into worshipping with us throughout the service. As well thanking them for the work that they and their teachers have done, we were also setting them off on anew voyage of discovery where faith is more than Sunday School classes and Enrichment times – it’s a lifestyle choice of worshipping God and praising Christ. So, in effect were saying to these our precious young people – Grace to you who love the Lord with an undying love. In other words, become the torchbearers of faith for your generation.
Throughout the summer, I’ve talked about what previous generations of Erinites have done for God and Christ’s Kingdom and how their perseverance, sense of duty, and loyalty to Jesus has given us this church that we worship in today. It’s now our turn to continue that 130 year journey of faith and lead our church into its 14th decade. It’s our privilege to be a crossroads generation where the decisions we take and the sacrifices we make are going to enhance, expand, and increase Christ’s work in this community. The love that Erin Church has for Christ is an undying love, and one that we should all be rightly proud of undertaking, achieving, and accomplishing.
Revelation 2:4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.
The story of the church at Ephesus does not end with Paul’s letter. It continues for many centuries producing some of the greatest teachers and leaders that the church has known. Paul’s protégé Timothy, to whom Paul writes two very personal letters becomes the bishop of Ephesus. And John the Apostle, the youngest of Christ’s disciples, lives in Ephesus with Christ’s mother, Mary, where both of them die and were buried.
But there comes a time in the church’s life when their faith began to cool and their passionate allegiance to the Gospel started to dissipate. When John writes the Book of Revelation, he lists the church of Ephesus as one of the seven stars held in Christ’s hand. The church is applauded for its perseverance, but it has one fatal flaw: the congregation has forgotten its first love.
Remember, Paul talked about Ephesus having a undying love for Christ, and yet about 25 years later, in John the Apostle’s vision, Christ accuses it of having lost that love. Churches go through cycles of being passionate for Christ and then they become comfortable and cozy, institutionalized and indifferent. Congregations can rest on the laurels of the past and individual Christians can coast along with their faith until they lose that love of Jesus, which meant so much to them.
Many years ago, when I first became a Christian, I had two friends who were also named John. One of them was an ambitious civil servant, whose zeal for the Lord was wonderful. The other was an electrician who was part of a youth group that used to visit the Gospel Club that both Evelyn and I attended. I was the third member of thee group – a recovering alcoholic who was trying to straighten out his life and make a real commitment to Christ. All three of us gave our hearts to Jesus. Each one of us was zealous for the work of the Lord.
John the civil servant wanted to learn administration skills so that he could one day be the CEO of a religious charity organization. He wanted to serve the Lord in that capacity and make important decisions that would save the lives of thousands of people. John the electrician wanted to have his own business, be happily married, and serve the Lord by using his business to help people who couldn’t afford to pay for his services. As for me, I just wanted to remain sober and to tell others about Jesus.
But as the years sped by, we all lost our love of the Lord. I went to university to become a minister, but found it difficult to keep my simple faith when the theological professors and biblical lecturers tried to tear it apart. They wanted me to believe in their research and study, their conclusions and opinions, their words and ways. There were times when I wanted to give everything up and I felt as though I was in a spiritual wilderness. And then one of the saints in the Divinity faculty, my Old Testament professor, who knew I was struggling told me this: John, it’s not our grasp of God that is important; it is God’s grasp of us that is all important. You don’t need to hold on to God – you just need to let Him hold on to you.”
At the same time, civil servant John was given some great promotions, which eventually led him to becoming a chief advisor to the Prime Minister in Britain. But it cost him his faith. As he climbed the ladder of success, he used his talents to better his life and build up his esteem and renown in the British Civil service. He eventually stopped going to church, believing that he could get along with organized religion and look after his own spirituality in his own way. In other words, he lost his love of Jesus and replaced it with love of self.
And what about John the electrician? I hadn’t seen him for a while and met him at a disco party for someone’s birthday. Yes, I said disco – that shows you how long ago this all took place! I had managed to stop drinking entirely and he was quite agitated by this. In the middle of the celebration, he came up and asked me as strange question: He asked: “And how is your soul? Are you still looking after it?” I didn’t know what to say, because John was drunk. There was a sad expression on his face and emptiness in his eyes.
He worked hard as an electrician, but he married the wrong person. His wife was immature and highly strung. She reminded me of a character in David Copperfield. John couldn’t handle the strain and one dark night he went absolutely crazy, smashed all the windows of his apartment, and jumped off from the ledge of the fourteenth storey to his death. I was in total shock when I heard the news.
Losing our love of Jesus can take us down paths that lead to dead ends and empty lives. John the Apostle was warning the Ephesus Church that they were in danger of losing the reason they were established: to love Christ first and to serve Him faithfully. They were on a ledge of losing everything that Paul had established and of letting go of the Holy Spirit who founded the church. They were at a crossroads of faith. Depending on how they responded to John’s vision of Christ, they would either go onward and upward, or fall backward and downward into death.
Revelation 2:7b To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Thankfully, the Ephesian Church chose the upward path. They corrected their course and rediscovered their first love. They went through a time of revival and three hundred and fifty years later, an important Council of all the churches in Christendom gathered at Ephesus in 451AD to make a decision that Christ was both human and divine, that He was Lord of heaven and earth, and that He was the Son of God and the Savior of the world. They overcame and were given that beautiful blessing of life which God promises to those churches that are faithful to Him and His precious Son.
So, where do we grow from here? Are we ready to rediscover that love of Christ which brought us to church in the first place? Are we prepared to express our undying love to Him and let the community around us see that love through our deeds? Are we set in place to commence a journey of faith and revival that will honor the Erinites of the past and prepare the way for the undying lovers of Christ in the generations to come?
I believe that we are and I know that we can do this. Where do we grow from here…to all the places and people that Christ is leading us. To Him be the glory and power. Amen!
Ephesians 6:24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
We have come to the end of a five month journey that we began way back in June. At that time, I told you that we were on a mission to find a new path, a new direction for our church. In my heart, I felt that God was beginning to move us as a church to start thinking about how we could make an impact for Christ in our community.
When I was pondering over what our church should do, I felt led by the Spirit to take us through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians because they were also a church that knew the Lord, but needed to be pointed in the right direction. Today we complete our journey and I hope and pray that this has been something that has drawn all of us closer to Christ and ready for whatever he is asking us to do as a Presbyterian church in this part of Knoxville.
As Paul finishes his letter, he reminds the good folks at Ephesus that he is a prisoner for Christ. He is held captive, whilst the Ephesians are free. He is under house arrest or perhaps in jail. The Ephesians Christians still walk about in their own community, free to serve the Lord, free to worship together, free to do their own thing.
So apostle signs off with these beautiful words of faith: ‘Grace to all who love our lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.’ Paul is doing two things here: he’s finishing his letter with words of encouragement, prayer, and peace. He wants the Ephesian congregation to feel good about their faith, and to be strengthened by his positive words. But Paul is also doing something which is very important: when he gives the blessing to those who love Jesus with an undying love, he’s actually passing the torch of faith to the next generation.
We did something similar this morning when we recognized our young worship graduates. We showed them how pleased we were with their work and asked God to bless them as they graduate into worshipping with us throughout the service. As well thanking them for the work that they and their teachers have done, we were also setting them off on anew voyage of discovery where faith is more than Sunday School classes and Enrichment times – it’s a lifestyle choice of worshipping God and praising Christ. So, in effect were saying to these our precious young people – Grace to you who love the Lord with an undying love. In other words, become the torchbearers of faith for your generation.
Throughout the summer, I’ve talked about what previous generations of Erinites have done for God and Christ’s Kingdom and how their perseverance, sense of duty, and loyalty to Jesus has given us this church that we worship in today. It’s now our turn to continue that 130 year journey of faith and lead our church into its 14th decade. It’s our privilege to be a crossroads generation where the decisions we take and the sacrifices we make are going to enhance, expand, and increase Christ’s work in this community. The love that Erin Church has for Christ is an undying love, and one that we should all be rightly proud of undertaking, achieving, and accomplishing.
Revelation 2:4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.
The story of the church at Ephesus does not end with Paul’s letter. It continues for many centuries producing some of the greatest teachers and leaders that the church has known. Paul’s protégé Timothy, to whom Paul writes two very personal letters becomes the bishop of Ephesus. And John the Apostle, the youngest of Christ’s disciples, lives in Ephesus with Christ’s mother, Mary, where both of them die and were buried.
But there comes a time in the church’s life when their faith began to cool and their passionate allegiance to the Gospel started to dissipate. When John writes the Book of Revelation, he lists the church of Ephesus as one of the seven stars held in Christ’s hand. The church is applauded for its perseverance, but it has one fatal flaw: the congregation has forgotten its first love.
Remember, Paul talked about Ephesus having a undying love for Christ, and yet about 25 years later, in John the Apostle’s vision, Christ accuses it of having lost that love. Churches go through cycles of being passionate for Christ and then they become comfortable and cozy, institutionalized and indifferent. Congregations can rest on the laurels of the past and individual Christians can coast along with their faith until they lose that love of Jesus, which meant so much to them.
Many years ago, when I first became a Christian, I had two friends who were also named John. One of them was an ambitious civil servant, whose zeal for the Lord was wonderful. The other was an electrician who was part of a youth group that used to visit the Gospel Club that both Evelyn and I attended. I was the third member of thee group – a recovering alcoholic who was trying to straighten out his life and make a real commitment to Christ. All three of us gave our hearts to Jesus. Each one of us was zealous for the work of the Lord.
John the civil servant wanted to learn administration skills so that he could one day be the CEO of a religious charity organization. He wanted to serve the Lord in that capacity and make important decisions that would save the lives of thousands of people. John the electrician wanted to have his own business, be happily married, and serve the Lord by using his business to help people who couldn’t afford to pay for his services. As for me, I just wanted to remain sober and to tell others about Jesus.
But as the years sped by, we all lost our love of the Lord. I went to university to become a minister, but found it difficult to keep my simple faith when the theological professors and biblical lecturers tried to tear it apart. They wanted me to believe in their research and study, their conclusions and opinions, their words and ways. There were times when I wanted to give everything up and I felt as though I was in a spiritual wilderness. And then one of the saints in the Divinity faculty, my Old Testament professor, who knew I was struggling told me this: John, it’s not our grasp of God that is important; it is God’s grasp of us that is all important. You don’t need to hold on to God – you just need to let Him hold on to you.”
At the same time, civil servant John was given some great promotions, which eventually led him to becoming a chief advisor to the Prime Minister in Britain. But it cost him his faith. As he climbed the ladder of success, he used his talents to better his life and build up his esteem and renown in the British Civil service. He eventually stopped going to church, believing that he could get along with organized religion and look after his own spirituality in his own way. In other words, he lost his love of Jesus and replaced it with love of self.
And what about John the electrician? I hadn’t seen him for a while and met him at a disco party for someone’s birthday. Yes, I said disco – that shows you how long ago this all took place! I had managed to stop drinking entirely and he was quite agitated by this. In the middle of the celebration, he came up and asked me as strange question: He asked: “And how is your soul? Are you still looking after it?” I didn’t know what to say, because John was drunk. There was a sad expression on his face and emptiness in his eyes.
He worked hard as an electrician, but he married the wrong person. His wife was immature and highly strung. She reminded me of a character in David Copperfield. John couldn’t handle the strain and one dark night he went absolutely crazy, smashed all the windows of his apartment, and jumped off from the ledge of the fourteenth storey to his death. I was in total shock when I heard the news.
Losing our love of Jesus can take us down paths that lead to dead ends and empty lives. John the Apostle was warning the Ephesus Church that they were in danger of losing the reason they were established: to love Christ first and to serve Him faithfully. They were on a ledge of losing everything that Paul had established and of letting go of the Holy Spirit who founded the church. They were at a crossroads of faith. Depending on how they responded to John’s vision of Christ, they would either go onward and upward, or fall backward and downward into death.
Revelation 2:7b To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Thankfully, the Ephesian Church chose the upward path. They corrected their course and rediscovered their first love. They went through a time of revival and three hundred and fifty years later, an important Council of all the churches in Christendom gathered at Ephesus in 451AD to make a decision that Christ was both human and divine, that He was Lord of heaven and earth, and that He was the Son of God and the Savior of the world. They overcame and were given that beautiful blessing of life which God promises to those churches that are faithful to Him and His precious Son.
So, where do we grow from here? Are we ready to rediscover that love of Christ which brought us to church in the first place? Are we prepared to express our undying love to Him and let the community around us see that love through our deeds? Are we set in place to commence a journey of faith and revival that will honor the Erinites of the past and prepare the way for the undying lovers of Christ in the generations to come?
I believe that we are and I know that we can do this. Where do we grow from here…to all the places and people that Christ is leading us. To Him be the glory and power. Amen!
Erin Church devotional - New Prospect
Audio version here
Psalm 122:1 I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”
Yesterday afternoon, I attended a re-dedication of an old church in South Knoxville. The church, New Prospect, had been destroyed by a fire a couple of years ago. On Sunday afternoon, it was re-opened and rededicated to the work of the Lord. I was asked to preach at the service, along with two other pastors. It was a wonderful occasion and a great blessing for the community.
New Prospect Presbyterian Church was originally built in 1834. It was established in the midst of a tragedy. At one time Presbyterians in South Knoxville had to cross the river by boat to worship in their local church. One Sunday, a boat tragically capsized and several members with their children drowned. New Prospect was built so that Presbyterians would no longer have to cross the river and risk their lives to go to worship. It was given its name to herald a new beginning for the Presbyterian community that had been struck hard by the tragedy.
The new church is beautiful and I am envious of what the congregation has accomplished. I think I’ll have our elders and Impact team visit the church to see what a small congregation has managed to do in the midst of unfortunate circumstances. The Lord has wrought a miracle in that part of South Knoxville and I hope that it will become a stronghold of faith for the entire Presbytery.
Going to the House of the Lord should be a time for rejoicing for all of us. And when we focus upon what He wants, that’s when miracles can be experienced, churches can be enhanced, and our mission in the community can make a great impact for Jesus.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your goodness to our churches and for the many miraculous ways that You are making a difference in our lives and communities. In the midst of difficult times, guide us by Your Light and enable us to have complete confidence in Your words and ways. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Psalm 122:1 I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”
Yesterday afternoon, I attended a re-dedication of an old church in South Knoxville. The church, New Prospect, had been destroyed by a fire a couple of years ago. On Sunday afternoon, it was re-opened and rededicated to the work of the Lord. I was asked to preach at the service, along with two other pastors. It was a wonderful occasion and a great blessing for the community.
New Prospect Presbyterian Church was originally built in 1834. It was established in the midst of a tragedy. At one time Presbyterians in South Knoxville had to cross the river by boat to worship in their local church. One Sunday, a boat tragically capsized and several members with their children drowned. New Prospect was built so that Presbyterians would no longer have to cross the river and risk their lives to go to worship. It was given its name to herald a new beginning for the Presbyterian community that had been struck hard by the tragedy.
The new church is beautiful and I am envious of what the congregation has accomplished. I think I’ll have our elders and Impact team visit the church to see what a small congregation has managed to do in the midst of unfortunate circumstances. The Lord has wrought a miracle in that part of South Knoxville and I hope that it will become a stronghold of faith for the entire Presbytery.
Going to the House of the Lord should be a time for rejoicing for all of us. And when we focus upon what He wants, that’s when miracles can be experienced, churches can be enhanced, and our mission in the community can make a great impact for Jesus.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your goodness to our churches and for the many miraculous ways that You are making a difference in our lives and communities. In the midst of difficult times, guide us by Your Light and enable us to have complete confidence in Your words and ways. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Weekend Screensaver; An Angel called Erin
Every church has an angel, according to the Book of Revelation. Here's what ours may look like.
Erin Go Bragh!
Erin Go Bragh!
Friday, November 02, 2007
Beware the Golden Compass
Audio version here
There’s a new movie coming out just before Christmas called “The Golden Compass.” It’s a fantasy movie based on a best selling trilogy by the author, Philip Pullman. It’s the usual good vs. bad story, with the heroes winning the day. The only trouble with the book is this: the Church is perceived as being bad, whilst being a free spirit - without being encumbered by God – is the ultimate good.
In the first book, the clergy are portrayed as being kidnappers of children, who want to enslave their spirits to serve the Authority, which is God. The whole series is about rebelling against the Church and ultimately killing the Authority, in order to achieve true freedom. There’s a subtle message of atheism being glorified and religion being diminished in the book. Philip Pullman is aiming the series at children because he wants to mess up their relationship with God and lead them into the lonely wilderness of atheism and chaos.
You may decide to take your kids to the movie or read the books for yourselves. That is your own free choice. But don’t do it without evaluating your relationship with God and Christ’s Church first. If your faith is ambivalent and your notion of the Church is flimsy, you may put your beliefs on the line and end up disregarding God’s sovereignty. You may also be putting your kids in harm’s way and leaving them with more doubts about God, Christ, and the Church.
Whatever you decide, remember that Pullman has his own agenda, which certainly isn’t God’s. He wants God dead in the hearts and minds of people, so that we can live in a free-spirited world where anything goes. We had that once before, in the centuries preceding Christ. Human sacrifices, paganism, and dark forces ruled the hearts and minds of men during those times: are we sure that we want to regress back into those days, or do we instead choose to remember that God rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of Christ?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, grant us the rare gift of discernment in our lives, so that we will make better choices. Help us to know what to do about this movie and these books. Keep us from being persuaded by the hidden messages that we may encounter. Help us to deepen our faith in You by remembering that the seasons of Thanksgiving and Christmas are times when we honor and glorify You. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
There’s a new movie coming out just before Christmas called “The Golden Compass.” It’s a fantasy movie based on a best selling trilogy by the author, Philip Pullman. It’s the usual good vs. bad story, with the heroes winning the day. The only trouble with the book is this: the Church is perceived as being bad, whilst being a free spirit - without being encumbered by God – is the ultimate good.
In the first book, the clergy are portrayed as being kidnappers of children, who want to enslave their spirits to serve the Authority, which is God. The whole series is about rebelling against the Church and ultimately killing the Authority, in order to achieve true freedom. There’s a subtle message of atheism being glorified and religion being diminished in the book. Philip Pullman is aiming the series at children because he wants to mess up their relationship with God and lead them into the lonely wilderness of atheism and chaos.
You may decide to take your kids to the movie or read the books for yourselves. That is your own free choice. But don’t do it without evaluating your relationship with God and Christ’s Church first. If your faith is ambivalent and your notion of the Church is flimsy, you may put your beliefs on the line and end up disregarding God’s sovereignty. You may also be putting your kids in harm’s way and leaving them with more doubts about God, Christ, and the Church.
Whatever you decide, remember that Pullman has his own agenda, which certainly isn’t God’s. He wants God dead in the hearts and minds of people, so that we can live in a free-spirited world where anything goes. We had that once before, in the centuries preceding Christ. Human sacrifices, paganism, and dark forces ruled the hearts and minds of men during those times: are we sure that we want to regress back into those days, or do we instead choose to remember that God rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of Christ?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, grant us the rare gift of discernment in our lives, so that we will make better choices. Help us to know what to do about this movie and these books. Keep us from being persuaded by the hidden messages that we may encounter. Help us to deepen our faith in You by remembering that the seasons of Thanksgiving and Christmas are times when we honor and glorify You. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Erin Church devotions: Nov 1 - Every Christian is a Saint Today
Acts 26:17, 18 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
Today is All Saints’ Day in the Christian Calendar. We don’t usually celebrate it as Presbyterians, but Roman Catholics are required to go to mass today, for this is what’s called a Feast of Obligation. To them, it’s one of the holiest days in the year. There are more than 365 saints in the Roman Catholic Church, so a special day was set aside to commemorate and celebrate all the saints who ever lived on earth. It’s a day to give thanks to God for the past witnesses of church leaders and holy people. It’s also a day to make special prayers to your favorite saint from the past, in the hope that he or she will intercede on your behalf.
But Presbyterians don’t celebrate this day because we don’t believe in the veneration of saints. Instead, we believe in the sanctifying (making of saints) of the people of God through the conversion of our souls and the forgiveness of our sins. That's the process that the apostle Paul is expressing here. He’s talking about the saintliness of ordinary people through the extraordinary holiness of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, for Presbyterians to celebrate All Saints Day, we should remember the people who have made a positive impact in our lives with regard to the faith that we carry in our hearts and minds. We should give thanks for the Sunday school teachers and pulpit preachers who have helped us to become Christians. We should honor those who work hard for our local congregations in our ministry and mission programs. We should remember those who work in foreign lands bringing the Gospel to millions of people throughout the earth. And we should also remember our own service to the Lord in our congregations and communities.
So let this day be sanctified in all of our hearts. Let it be an occasion to be grateful for the saints in each of our lives who bring us closer to the Lord. And let’s also look for positive opportunities to be Christ’s sanctified servants to all whom we meet and encounter today.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for this special day and for all the saints who are working for Your Kingdom here on earth. Thank You for their focus and faith, their devotion and dedication, their example and encouragement. Bless and sanctify all of us, so that we may faithfully and effectively carry on Your ministry and mission to our community and world. In your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Today is All Saints’ Day in the Christian Calendar. We don’t usually celebrate it as Presbyterians, but Roman Catholics are required to go to mass today, for this is what’s called a Feast of Obligation. To them, it’s one of the holiest days in the year. There are more than 365 saints in the Roman Catholic Church, so a special day was set aside to commemorate and celebrate all the saints who ever lived on earth. It’s a day to give thanks to God for the past witnesses of church leaders and holy people. It’s also a day to make special prayers to your favorite saint from the past, in the hope that he or she will intercede on your behalf.
But Presbyterians don’t celebrate this day because we don’t believe in the veneration of saints. Instead, we believe in the sanctifying (making of saints) of the people of God through the conversion of our souls and the forgiveness of our sins. That's the process that the apostle Paul is expressing here. He’s talking about the saintliness of ordinary people through the extraordinary holiness of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, for Presbyterians to celebrate All Saints Day, we should remember the people who have made a positive impact in our lives with regard to the faith that we carry in our hearts and minds. We should give thanks for the Sunday school teachers and pulpit preachers who have helped us to become Christians. We should honor those who work hard for our local congregations in our ministry and mission programs. We should remember those who work in foreign lands bringing the Gospel to millions of people throughout the earth. And we should also remember our own service to the Lord in our congregations and communities.
So let this day be sanctified in all of our hearts. Let it be an occasion to be grateful for the saints in each of our lives who bring us closer to the Lord. And let’s also look for positive opportunities to be Christ’s sanctified servants to all whom we meet and encounter today.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for this special day and for all the saints who are working for Your Kingdom here on earth. Thank You for their focus and faith, their devotion and dedication, their example and encouragement. Bless and sanctify all of us, so that we may faithfully and effectively carry on Your ministry and mission to our community and world. In your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
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